THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FEMALE IMAGE IN TIKTOK VIDEOS AND ITS ROLE IN CULTURAL DISSEMINATION IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the role of the construction of female's images in short videos that disseminate ethnic culture, with a focus on Malaysian ethnic cultures, which is different from traditional approaches in social media. It fills a research vacuum by examining the portrayal of female's images in these videos and understanding the role of the construction of women's images in the dissemination of cultural values in Malaysia. Media image construction theory was applied to describe how gender has changed in the age of social media and how it affects people's behavior in the real world. The research focused on videos made by people from ethnic minorities in Malaysia. The videos were selected based on criteria that included official accounts, TikTok influencers and regular users. The findings revealed differences in video types, consumption patterns and content, emphasizing the construction of a female image as a key component in such TikTok videos that attracts viewers and influences the dissemination of ethnic culture. This study contributes to identifying strategies and techniques for constructing of a female image and highlighting the potential of TikTok videos for reducing ethnic stereotypes and promoting cultural diversity and gender equality.